Power conversion apparatus and method utilizing gravitational and buoyant forces



D. K. M com 3,292,365 POWER CONVERSION APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZING Dec. 20, 1966 GHAVITATIONAL AND BUOYANT FORCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1965 \llllal INVENTOR. Dan K. Mc Coin ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1966 D. K. M COIN 3,292,365

POWER CONVERSION APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZING GRAVITATIONAL AND BUOYANT FORCES Filed July 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

11\"VE1\ "TOR. Dan K. McCoin ATTORNEY D. K. M COIN 3,292,365 POWER CONVERSION APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZING Dec. 20, 1966 GRAVITATIONAL AND BUOYANT FORCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 9, 1965 INVENTOR. Dan K. McCoin ATTORNEY FIG. 5

United States Patent 3,292,365 POWER CGNVERSION APPARATUS AND METHOD UTILIZING GRAVITATIONAL AND BUOYANT FORCES Dan K. McCain, Box 126, Chalmers, Ind. 47929 Filed July 9, 1965, Ser. No. 470,860 6 Claims. (Cl. 6G22) This invention is generally concerned with an apparatus and method for converting various forms of power to other forms of power. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for the employment of bouyant and gravitational forces acting on a series of disconnected uniform bodies moving in a defined closed path to convert such forces to other forces for useful work.

In general the invention recognizes the uitilty of converting the kinetic energy of a body falling, along one portion of a closed defined path, from an initial upper position to a second lower position into useful work, the converting being accomplished at an intermediate position between the upper and lower positions and in the path of fall, and using buoyant forces applied to the same body, along another portion of the same closed defined .path, between the lower and upper positions to restore the body to the upper position such that it can fall again for production of the kinetic energy which is converted to the useful work. The force of gravity is of course a well recognized phenomena though it is believed not to be completely understood in all its ramifications. Likewise the upward force of bouyancy obtained when a body is immersed in a fluid is also known and various apparatus in the prior art have been proposed to use for power conversion purposes both the force of gravity as well as the buoyant force. However, so far as is known the prior art has not taught either an apparatus or method as in the present invention in which a plurality of uniform, disconnected bodies continue to circulate around a defined, closed path between upper and lower positions such that a portion of the kinetic energy induced by the force of gravity can be converted to useful work at an intermediate position between the lower and upper positions and the force of buoyancy used to successively restore the bodies to the upper position for further accumulation of kinetic energy.

A general object of the method and apparatus of the invention is to efiiciently utilize both the force of gravity and the force of buoyancy to maintain a plurality of free bodies in constant circulation in a defined closed path of travel for the purpose of generating kinetic energy in the bodies for conversion to useful work.

Another object is to provide a method by which a plurality of free bodies can be maintained in circulation in a defined closed path of travel by utilization of the force of gravity acting on each body individually in succession and the force of buoyancy acting on the bodies collectively.

Another object is to provide a means for extracting kinetic energy from a succession of free-falling bodies without completely interrupting the continued travel of the bodies.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for converting kinetic energy obtained by the action of the force of gravity into useful work.

The foregoing and other objects will appear from the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of a system incorporating the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cut-away elevation section view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

3,292,365 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 FIGURE 3 is a plan section view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlargement of a portion of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation view of a portion of FIGURE 2 taken along line 55 of FIGURE 2.

Considering the invention more specifically, the invention is based upon a series of chambers connected in a closed vertically disposed loop and a plurality of disconnected uniform bodies which continue to circulate from chamber to chamber within the loop. In one portion of the loop the bodies continuously drop separately and successively one after the other in free fall flight through a low pressure chamber void of fluid and in another portion of the loop the bodies are stacked successively in a fluid and against each other such that they continuously rise one after the other back to the position from which they have fallen. Prior to reaching the bottom of the portion of the loop in which the bodies fall consecutively, -a portion of the kinetic energy stored in the falling bodies as they reach the end of their vertical fall is converted at an intermediate position to useful energy and work and the bodies then pass on to the fluid portion of the loop in which they are buoyed back to the position from which they fell.

The mentioned loop and chambers are further characterized by the fact that the portion of the loop in which the free fall is effected is effectively an enclosed vertical chamber and is held at relatively low or vacuum pressure. The portion of the loop in which the buoyant force operates is also effectively an enclosed vertical chamber of substantially the same height as the free fall chamber but unlike the free fall chamber is filled with a liquid column supported by high pressure. The buoyant chamber and the free fall chamber are connected together at the top of each and the bodies move directly from the fluid level at the top of the buoyant chamber into the top of the free fall chamber. The free fall chamber is however closed at an intermediate position by an extensible valve through which the bodies pass and the valve is of such form that it converts a portion of the kinetic energy required to open the valve to useful energy and work. This valve separates the free fall chamber from a following chamber in which the bodies continue to fall for a short distance after passing through the valve and which is held at relatively high pressure. The same high pressure in the chamber in which the bodies fall after passing through the valve acts on the lower end of the liquid column filling the buoyant chamber. Such high pressure when taken with the low vacuum pressure existing at the upper end of the liquid column maintains a pressure differential across the valve and maintains the liquid column at the correct height and also maintains the bottom of the liquid column disposed away from the referred to valve.

' Certain starting conditions as later referred to in more detail are necessary to initiate the energy conversion processes of the invention. For example, it is necessary to establish a certain difference in pressure between the upper and lower ends of the liquid column in the buoyant chamber and it is of course necessary to install the bodies and the liquid which are involved in the processes of the invention. The bodies in theory may assume various shapes but spherical shapes are preferred. In a typical operation the spheres drop one by one in the free fall chamber. As each sphere strikes the valve in succession the valve is caused to open and the valve itself by reason of its design absorbs substantially all of the kinetic energy contained in the falling sphere and transmits a portion of this kinetic energy in a form for conversion to useful I work. Thus, it is the output of the valve which constitutes the initial source of output energy gained from the apparatus of the invention. After the sphere has passed through the valve, the valve closes to await arrival of the next sphere and to maintain the pressure differential across the valve. The valve brings the falling sphere to near zero velocity and after easing itself out of the valve the sphere drops a short distance below the valve and in the high pressure chamber. Here the weight of the falling sphere pushes against a preceding sphere which it contacts and that is floating at the base of the liquid column. This last sphere that is pushed by the weight of the falling sphere acts to push a further sphere that is ahead of it into the base of the liquid column where it starts rising. Upon entering the liquid this last sphere will start moving upwardly through the liquid behind a number of other similar spheres which precede it in the column and which form a stack of spheres. The combined buoyant effect of all the spheres which are rising combine to force the topmost one of such spheres out of the top of the liquid column and out of the buoyant chamber into the top of the free fall chamber. Once such topmost sphere has assumed a free position in the free fall chamber it drops under the influence of gravity and at the end of its free fall strikes the valve which as before extracts substantially all the kinetic energy in the sphere and allows the sphere to case itself into the high pressure chamber and into the bottom of the liquid column.

This continual circulation of the spheres in free fall flight through the low pressure chamber, through the energy extracting valve, through the high pressure chamber and through the liquid as they rise in the buoyant chamber back to the head of the free fall chamber results in the kinetic energy extraction valve being continuously opened and closed. The kinetic energy of the falling spheres thus results in power pulses of energy, in the form of incremental pressure changes, coming from the valve as the successive ones of the spheres continue to circulate through the valve under the forces of gravity and buoyancy. While the invention lends itself to various forms the relative pressures, weights, specific gravities and dimensions are critical and these will now be referred to in more detail in one particular embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, there is schematically illustrated a closed system following the invention and in which there is provided a hollow loop housing preferably of circular cross section and suitable to holding the pressures hereafter referred to. In housing 20 there are confined a plurality of spheres 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34. Spheres 23 through 34 have no attachment or connection one with the other and individually are free to move around the closed path provided and defined by the interior of housing 20 under the influences of buoyancy and gravity. A portion of housing 20, between a low point A and a high point B, is filled with a liquid 35 which in the present example may be water. The energy extraction valve previously referred to and indicated generally at 40 effectively separates the portion of housing 20 extending between the high point B and valve 40 from the portion of the housing extending between valve 40 and the low point A. The portion of housing 20 immediately above valve 40 effectively provides, an unobstructed empty chamber and is held at near zero pressure by means of a low pressure or vacuum pump 45. Thus any sphere which is pushed up and out of the liquid at the high point B, such as sphere 34 in FIGURE 2, is free to fall, in the manner illustrated by sphere 23, through the portion of housing 20 above valve 40 until it strikes valve 40. After passing through valve 40 such sphere assumes the position of sphere 23' and continues its vertical drop for a short distance through the portion of housing 20 below valve 40 until it contacts the preceding sphere floating in the liquid 35 such as sphere 24 in FIGURE 2. The weight of the slow falling sphere 23' acting against the weight of the floating sphere 24 causes sphere 24 to assume the position 24' so as to move under the lip 39 of the barrier between the chambers. Sphere 24 then rises in the liquid against sphere 25 and causes a repetition of the sequence.

A relatively large pressure differential is maintained across valve 40 by means of a high pressure pump 56 which maintains a high pressure in the order of 1620 pounds per square foot in the chamber area immediately below valve 40 and above the low point A. This same high pressure is also maintained in a large spherical chamber 60 which communicates by means of a pipe 61 with the high pressure chamber below valve 40. Chamber 60 serves as an expansion chamber in the sense of providing a means for minimizing any change in pressure on the high pressure side of valve 40 brought about by the passage of the spheres through valve 40. That is, entry of a sphere into the chamber space below valve 49 and above the low point A tends to upset the pressure differential maintained across valve 40 by reason of the sphere entering such space tending to compress the gas occupying such space. However, expansion chamber 60 is made many times, fifty times for example, larger in volume than the volume of the individual sphere and thus any tendency for change in the high pressure maintained in the chamber below valve 40 and above point A is distributed over a relatively large volume which includes the space provided by expansion chamber 50 in addition to that provided by the space below valve 40. Thus, by making chamber 60 sufliciently large, only nominal chan es on the high pressure side are experienced.

Valve 40 serves the purpose previously mentioned of separating the low and high pressure sides in addition to its purpose of providing a means for extracting energy from the system. Thus, the structure of valve 40. must serve both purposes. Valve 40 in the present embodiment consists of a closed inflated tubular structure having an outer relatively inelastic outer fabric cover 71 such as heavy canvas or nylon and an inner elastic inflatable chamber 72 made of rubber or the like. The top and bottom walls of valve 40 are sloped inwardly as shown in the drawings. A slitlike opening for passage of the spheres is provided between points 73 and 74. This opening is of course normally closed and is preferably designed such that the sphere which is passing through valve 40 will be squeezed by those portions of the outer fabric cover 71 which contact the sphere so as to extract the maximum amount of kinetic energy and bring the sphere to near zero velocity.

Valve 40- is effectively :a closed inflatable conduit with a communicating pipe 81. Under the influence of pressure the outside surface of the conduit is pressed against the inside of the wall of housing 20 and the in;

side surface of the conduit is pressed together to form the opening defined by points 73 and 74. A relatively high pressure in the order of 4600 pounds per square foot is maintained within valve 40 by means of a pres-.

sure source such as pump acting through a connecting line 81. Thus in a steady state condition, the pressure in valve 40 and line 81 is at some predetermined level and this pressure is increased rapidly with each passage of a sphere. Such intermittent pulsating pressure changes due to the continuous circulation of the spheres however provide means for extracting work from the system. For example, as representative of a form of work extraction there is shown a cylinder having a piston 91 which is balanced to normally occupy the position shown but which rises to the dotted line position 91 upon each passage of a sphere through valve 40. Cylinder 90 and piston 91 are to be construed simply as representative of a means for converting the kinetic energy transferred to valve 40'by each successive sphere into usefulwork. Other forms of valves would call for other forms of energy extraction means.

While the invention lends itself to many variations, mention will be made of a typical embodiment and set of operating factors which give relatively high efliciency. Helium is preferred as a gas both on the high and low pressure sides as well as in the valve and work extraction chambers. Chamber '60 should be twenty feet in diameter and the height of free fall of the spheres should be about sixteen feet. Valve 40 should be about two feet thick and the fall of the sphere after passing through valve 40 should be approximately seven and two-tenths feet before reaching the level of the liquid which is preferably water. The height of the liquid column at low point A should also be approximately seven and two-tenths feet. The high pressure side of housing 20 should be held at 1620 pounds per square foot; the low pressure side of housing 20 should be held at near zero pounds per square foot and the pressure within valve 40 and its communicating work extraction chambers should be 4600 pounds per square foot. Pinewood spheres coated for waterproofing andhaving a diameter of four and eight-tenths feet, a density of 50 pounds per cubic foot, and a weight of 2900 pounds are employed. The inside diameter of housing 20 should be just slightly in excess of the sphere diameter.

In operation, the system pressures and fluid column are stabilized. It should of course be understood that while not shown various inlet and outlet valves for the fluid as well as various pressure control apparatus all well known in the art, are employed for the purpose of first establishing and then maintaining the fluid and pressure levels at those values previously discusssed and to initiate the falling of the first sphere. That is, for simplification the drawings .have illustrated an operating system and the basic components necessary to support the system. Once in operation piston 91 will move with each opening of valve 40 thereby furnishing a point for obtaining mechanical motion and useful work. In general, it can be seen that the employment of buoyant and gravitational forces is unique in that once the system is established such forces maintain the system in operation and productive of useful work. Of course, pressure losses will inevitably occlu" and restoration of pressures by pumps 45, 50 and 81 will be required. Energy input is also required to established operation of the system. In this sense the system requires energy input but is otherwise an eflicient machine making use of the natural forces of gravity and buoyancy which are otherwise not generally employed for the production of useful work.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In an energy conversion system, a housing providing a pair of first and second adjacent vertical elongated hollow chambers communicating at the top and bottom thereof and defining a uniform closed path of travel along which bodies of corresponding size may be continuously moved in one direction; a plurality of disconnected uniform bodies confined in said housing and arranged for individual successive circulatory movement around said path by traveling downwardly through said first chamber and upwardly through said second chamber; valve means for dividing said first chamber into upper and lower subchambers and establishing a pressure seal therebetween, said upper subchamber occupying a major portion of said first chamber and said lower chamber occupying a minor portion thereof, said valve means having a central normally closed extensible opening capable of passing said bodies under the influence of the intermittent kinetic energy obtained by said bodies free falling successively through said upper subchamber and during said passing maintaining said seal; means for maintaining said upper subchamber at a substantially low pressure and said lower subchamber at a substantially high pressure; an expansion chamber substantially larger in volume than the volume of an individual one of said bodies and c0mmunieating with said lower subchamber and having the same high pressure maintained therein; and liquid means filling said second chamber to the top thereof as well as a minor portion of the bottom of said lower subchamber and being maintained in such position by the effect of said low and high pressures in said respective subchambers, said bodies being arranged when said system is operative in a manner wherein said bodies except at least one form a stack of such bodies which extends from one body floating in said liquid means at the top of said second chamber to a body floating in said liquid means confined in said minor portion of said lower subchamber, said excepted body being a body which is urged out of the top of said liquid means by the force of buoyancy asserted on said stack by said liquid means whereby to cause said excepted body to free fall under the force of gravity through said first chamber such that said excepted body contacts the body at the end of said stack to initiate another such body moving through said first chamber, said valve means being effective to convert kinetic energy from said excepted body to useful energy while passing through said first chamber and said expansion chamber being effective to maintain said high pressure upon entry of said excepted body in said lower subchamber.

2. In an energy conversion system as claimed in claim 1 in which said bodies comprise spheres and said housing chambers are of circular cross section.

3. In an energy conversion system as claimed in claim 2 in which said valve means comprises a flexible conduit, means to maintain a high pressure within said conduit, said conduit pressure being effective to press the walls of said conduit outwardly against said first chamber and inwardly together to form said opening for passage of said bodies and said means for converting said kinetic energy comprises means for converting the intermittent increases in pressure in said conduit caused by passage of said bodies into useful work.

4. In an energy conversion system, a housing having first and second adjacent vertical elongated chamber portions of uniform cross section and connecting portions at the top and bottom of the same cross section whereby to establish a closed loop of uniform cross section; extensible valve means positioned within said first chamber and effective to establish a major and upper portion of said first chamber as a low pressure chamber and the lower portion of said first chamber below said valve means as a high pressure chamber; means effective to maintain said low and high pressures in said upper and lower portions of said first chamber; a liquid fluid filling said second chamber to a level immediately below the level where such liquid would flow into the top of said first chamber, said liquid further filling the connecting portion of said housing at the bottom thereof; a plurality of uniform bodies arranged in said housing for circulation through said first chamber in free fall flight including passage through said valve means solely under the influence of gravity and through said second chamber against the action of gravity and under the influence of buoyancy asserted on said bodies by said liquid, said pressures and the specific gravities of said bodies and liquids and the size of said bodies being selected such that when a stack of such bodies is located in said second chamber another of such bodies when contacting the bottom body of such stack following a said free fall flight will urge the topmost body of said stack out of said liquid into said first chamber such that said bodies will be maintained in circulation; means effective to relieve any temporary change in pressure caused by entry of said bodies into said lower portion of said first chamber; and means for converting the kinetic energy transferred to said valve means by said bodies into useful work.

5. The method of utilizing the forces of gravity and buoyancy as applied to a plurality of uniform bodies which comprises stacking a plurality of said bodies in a liquid column which communicates at both top and bot tom with a second hollow column the 'upper and major portion of which is maintained at low pressure and the lower minor portion of which is maintained at high pressure and with said upper and lower portion being separated by valve means capable of opening to pass said bodies while in free fall flight without loss of said pressure differential, establishing an interaction between a single one of said bodies and the bottommost body of said staclc by allowing said single body to contact said bottommost body following a free fall through the height of said second column, said interaction being sufficient to initiate a continuing series of such interactions whereby the topmost body of said stack is urged out of said liquid column and into said second column upon the occasion of each such interaction and allowed to free fall through said second column, through said valve means and to contact said bottommost body, and converting the intermittent forces applied by said bodies to said valve means to useful work.

6. In an energy conversion system, a housing defining first and second hollow vertical chambers and connecting portions at the top and bottom thereof establishing a uniform size loop path therein; a liquid filling said second chamber; normally closed extensible valve means effective to divide said first chamber into an upper major portion and a lower minor portion while maintaining a pressure seal therebetween; means to maintain a substantially low pressure in said upper'portion and a substantially high pressure in said lower portion; a plurality of uniform bodies arranged to circulate within said hous-l ing by individually and successively free-falling in said first chamber through said valve means and then successively rising in a stack grouping in said second chamber under the influence of buoyancy asserted by said liquid,? the uppermost body of said stack being successively urged out of said liquid into said first chamber and into said EDGAR W. GEOGHEGAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN ENERGY COVERSION SYSTEM, A HOUSING PROVIDING A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND ADJACENT VERTICAL ELONGATED HOLLOW CHAMBERS COMMUNICATING AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM THEREOF AND DEFINING A UNIFORM CLOSED PATH OF TRAVEL ALONG WHICH BODIES OF CORRESPONDING SIZE MAY BE CONTINUOUSLY MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION; A PLURALITY OF DISCONNECTED UNIFORM BODIES CONFINED IN SAID HOUSING AND ARRANGED FOR INDIVIDUAL SUCCESSIVE CIRCULATORY MOVEMENT AROUND SAID PATH BY TRAVELING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID SECOND CHAMBER; VALVE MEANS FOR DIVIDING SAID FIRST CHAMBER INTO UPPER AND LOWER SUBCHAMBERS AND ESTABLISHING A PRESSURE SEAL THEREBETWEEN, SAID UPPER SUBCHAMBER OCUPYING A MAJOR PORTION OF SAID FRIST CHAMBER AND SAID LOWER CHAMBER OCCUPYING A MINOR PORTION THEREOF, SAID VALVE MEANS HAVING A CENTRAL NORMALLY CLOSED EXTENSIBLE OPENING CAPABLE OF PASSING SAID BODIES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTERMITTENT KINETIC ENERGY OBTAINED BY SAID BODIES FREE FALLING SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH SAID UPPER SUBCHAMBER AND DURING SAID PASSING MAINTAINING SAID SEAL; MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID UPPER SUBCHAMBER AT A SUBSTNATIALLY LOW PRESSURE AND SAID LOWER SUBCHAMBER AT A SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH PRESSURE; AN EXPANSION CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER IN VOLUME THAN THE VOLUME OF AN INDIVIDUAL ONE OF SAID BODIES AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID LOWER SUBCHAMBER AND HAVING THE SAME HIGH PRESSURE MAINTAINED THEREIN; AND LIQUID MEANS FILLING SAID SECOND CHAMBER TO THE TOP THEREOF AS WELL AS A MINOR PORTION OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID LOWER SUBCHAMBER AND BEING MAINTAINED IN SUCH POSITION BY THE EFFECT OF SAID LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE IN SAID RESPECTIVE SUBCHAMBERS, SAID BODIES BEING ARRANGED WHEN SAID SYSTEM IS OPERATIVE IN A MANNER WHEREIN SAID BODIES EXCEPT AT LEAST ONE FROM A STACK OF SUCH BODIES WHICH EXTENDS FROM ONE BODY FLOATING IN SAID LIQUID MEANS AT THE TOP OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER TO A BODY FLOATING IN SAID LIQUID MEANS CONDINED IN SAID MINOR PORTION OF SAID LOWER SUBCHAMBER, SAID EXCEPTED BODY BEING A BODY WHICH IS URGED OUT OF THE TOP OF SAID LIQUID MEANS BY THE FORCE OF BUOYANCY ASSERTED ON SAID STACK BY SAID LIQUID MEANS WHEREBY TO CAUSE SAID EXCEPTED BODY TO FREE FALL UNDER THE FORCE OF GRAVITY THROUGH SAID FIRST CHAMBER SUCH THAT SAID EXEPTED BODY CONTACTS THE BODY AT THE END OF SAID STACK TO INITIATE ANOTHER SUCH BODY MOVING THROUGH SAID FIRST CHAMBER, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE TO CONVERT KINETIC ENERGY FROM SAID EXCEPTED BODY TO USEFUL ENERGY WHILE PASSING THROUGH SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER BEING EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN SAID HIGH PRESSURE UPON ENTRY OF SAID EXCEPTED BODY IN SAID LOWER SUBCHAMBER. 